Sustainable Techniques and Practices for Water Harvesting and Conservation and their Effective Application in Resource-Poor Agricultural Production

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The aim of this project was to select and implement water harvesting and conservation techniques that would assist two rural communities (Guquka and Khayaletu) in the Eastern Cape to improve their livelihoods by increasing their food production and developing their rangeland/livestock production systems. On-station and on-farm field experiments were conducted in order to test rainwater harvesting and conservation (RWH&C) techniques. The results showed that subsistence farmers in the semi-arid areas could improve maize yields considerably by replacing their conventional practices with in-field rainwater harvesting (a specific form of micro-catchment water harvesting) without cover crops and, if possible, applying mulch on the basin and runoff areas. This would improve their level of food security. The project found that if the intention of small-scale farmers is only to produce well-balanced fodder in bulk for their animals or fodder for their animals as well as food for the household, then the IRWH treatments with cover crops might be a good option. It is evident from the research findings that using micro-catchment water harvesting in combination with either mulch or brush improved moisture retention enhancing productivity both in croplands and rangelands. Land tenure and ownership are major challenges in both croplands and rangeland, and thus affect the management of these resources. The IRWH technique was used by village members of two villages in the Eastern Cape, Guquka and Khayaletu, to greatly improve their household food security.